Founder of engineering firm to speak about sustainable business

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—The executive of a Michigan-based engineering firm will be on Western Michigan University's campus Thursday, Dec. 1, to speak to students and members of the business community.

Fred Keller, founder and chair of Cascade Engineering, will present on the role of business in society and how Cascade Engineering follows the B Corps model at 11 a.m. in 2000 Schneider Hall. B Corps are for-profit companies certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency.

Cascade Engineering

Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Cascade Engineering is comprised of nine strategic business units serving a wide variety of markets including automotive, commercial truck and bus, solid waste and recycling, furniture, and material handling. With a core competency in large-scale plastic injection molding, Cascade Engineering is a global company with nearly 1,800 employees and 15 facilities covering 1.3 million square feet. As one of the largest certified B Corps in the world, they are widely recognized for business practices that emphasize how business can build financial, social and environmental capital.

Fred Keller

Keller founded Cascade Engineering in 1973 with the belief that business can complement financial performance with important work in the social and environmental arenas. Driven by this belief, a small team of six employees has grown to be a company of 1,800 people serving a worldwide customer base.

From the very beginning, Keller emphasized the key role business can play in building financial, social and ecological capital, often through partnerships with government and community agencies. His innovative management approach and work in advancing sustainability are featured regularly in business and industry publications.

A Grand Rapids native, Keller earned a bachelor of science degree in materials science and engineering from Cornell University and a master of science in business management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

The event is free and open to the public. Parking is available in Schneider Hall lot 72R.

For more information, contact Dr. Timothy Palmer, professor of strategic management and director of the Center for Sustainable Business Practices, at (269) 387-5242.

For more news, arts and events, visit wmich.edu/news/.